Huntingdon College has earned a spot among the South’s top private colleges in the newly released 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
The Montgomery college is tied for No. 11 among Top Private Schools and No. 13 overall among Regional Colleges South, according to U.S. News. Huntingdon also appears at No. 25 among Best Value Schools.
U.S. News evaluates colleges within categories based on their missions and, in some cases, their geographic regions. Regional Colleges are divided into South, North, Midwest and West.
“This recognition affirms the momentum we are seeing across Huntingdon College,” Huntingdon President Anthony Leigh said. “Our sixth consecutive year of enrollment growth reflects the confidence students and families have in the Huntingdon experience: strong pre-professional preparation, meaningful campus engagement, and a close-knit residential community where students grow in faith, character, and purpose.”
That enrollment growth recently pushed Huntingdon past another milestone. The college announced in August that fall enrollment had reached 1,018 students, up from 959 in fall 2025 and marking its sixth consecutive year of growth.
U.S. News defines Regional Colleges as schools that focus on undergraduate education and award a majority of their degrees in fields outside the liberal arts. Some institutions in the category also offer associate degree programs.
The 2027 rankings include several methodology changes. U.S. News introduced a new factor based on post-graduate earnings, replacing graduate indebtedness, and used the 2025 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education to help determine ranking categories.
The rankings focus on academic measures rather than factors such as athletics, campus safety or campus environment. U.S. News says graduation and retention are among the most heavily weighted measures.
Huntingdon, founded in 1854, has a 16-to-1 student-faculty ratio. The college lists tuition at $30,000 for the 2026-27 academic year.
The college is located on East Fairview Avenue in Montgomery and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
